4.0 grading scale - translation please

bigred · 21st February 2006, 07:32 AM

In my day the breakdown for grades was something like this:

3.3 - 4.0 = A
3.2 - 2.5 = B
2.4 - 1.7 = C
1.6 - 1.0 = D
.9 - = F

I vaguely recall it varying some (eg some places 3.0 was the A cutoff etc) but can anyone confirm/deny a "norm" and/or how to translate a numeric grade (eg 90% etc) to a grade? I know it's not a straight percentage (for ex. 50% is easily a failed grade but a 2.0 is nowhere near failing). Thx.

drkitten · 21st February 2006, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by bigred

In my day the breakdown for grades was something like this:

3.3 - 4.0 = A
3.2 - 2.5 = B
2.4 - 1.7 = C
1.6 - 1.0 = D
.9 - = F

I vaguely recall it varying some (eg some places 3.0 was the A cutoff etc) but can anyone confirm/deny a "norm" and/or how to translate a numeric grade (eg 90% etc) to a grade? I know it's not a straight percentage (for ex. 50% is easily a failed grade but a 2.0 is nowhere near failing). Thx.

There is no standard translation. I can easily set a test where the median score is 50% or the median score is 90%, depending upon both how difficult the questions are and how harshly I mark the test.

An 'A' means what I want it to mean, no more, no less.

Zbu · 21st February 2006, 09:37 AM

In my experience the grade points were divvied up a bit differently. 3.0 was the bottom line for a B (3.5 possibly being a lower A) and after 2.0 you were getting into the weird D-F range which differed in how they wanted. Some said E was the worst, others were F, etc.

I don't think it's a standard by any means.

TragicMonkey · 21st February 2006, 10:52 AM

It's different depending on where you are, just like the percentages for each letter grade are different. I've attended schools where an A had to be 94% or above, and others where a 90% would suffice. I tend to favor the 90% limit myself, as with a 94% minimum A it seems a bit harsh that on a ten question test, you'd have to achieve a perfect score in order to get an A, and missing one question makes it a B.

Bindamel · 21st February 2006, 12:55 PM

Most of my college classes, way back in the day, were graded on a curve. A mean and standard deviation were calculated from the test results. In most of my classes the rules were:

mean+2 std. dev = A
mean+1 std. dev = B
mean-1 std. dev = C
mean-2 std. dev = D

I recall getting a 34 (out of 100) on an exam, only to find out that the mean was 36. Oh boy, a C+.

GPA/Letter grades in college were:
4.3 A+
4.0 A
3.7 A-
3.3 B+
3.0 B
etc.
and 0.0 for an F

Going back a bit to high school, and non-curve grading, it was always 90's were A's, 80's were B's, 70's were C's, 60's were D's, and 59 or less was an F.

21st February 2006, 07:32 AM	#1
bigred Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: USA Posts: 12,542	4.0 grading scale - translation please In my day the breakdown for grades was something like this: 3.3 - 4.0 = A 3.2 - 2.5 = B 2.4 - 1.7 = C 1.6 - 1.0 = D .9 - = F I vaguely recall it varying some (eg some places 3.0 was the A cutoff etc) but can anyone confirm/deny a "norm" and/or how to translate a numeric grade (eg 90% etc) to a grade? I know it's not a straight percentage (for ex. 50% is easily a failed grade but a 2.0 is nowhere near failing). Thx.

21st February 2006, 10:52 AM	#4
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 30,113	It's different depending on where you are, just like the percentages for each letter grade are different. I've attended schools where an A had to be 94% or above, and others where a 90% would suffice. I tend to favor the 90% limit myself, as with a 94% minimum A it seems a bit harsh that on a ten question test, you'd have to achieve a perfect score in order to get an A, and missing one question makes it a B.
	__________________ One cannot expect wisdom to flow from a pumpkin.

21st February 2006, 12:55 PM	#5
Bindamel Muse Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 914	Most of my college classes, way back in the day, were graded on a curve. A mean and standard deviation were calculated from the test results. In most of my classes the rules were: mean+2 std. dev = A mean+1 std. dev = B mean-1 std. dev = C mean-2 std. dev = D I recall getting a 34 (out of 100) on an exam, only to find out that the mean was 36. Oh boy, a C+. GPA/Letter grades in college were: 4.3 A+ 4.0 A 3.7 A- 3.3 B+ 3.0 B etc. and 0.0 for an F Going back a bit to high school, and non-curve grading, it was always 90's were A's, 80's were B's, 70's were C's, 60's were D's, and 59 or less was an F.
Bindamel Muse Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 914

21st February 2006, 09:22 AM	#2
drkitten Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Wits' End Posts: 21,647	Originally Posted by bigred In my day the breakdown for grades was something like this: 3.3 - 4.0 = A 3.2 - 2.5 = B 2.4 - 1.7 = C 1.6 - 1.0 = D .9 - = F I vaguely recall it varying some (eg some places 3.0 was the A cutoff etc) but can anyone confirm/deny a "norm" and/or how to translate a numeric grade (eg 90% etc) to a grade? I know it's not a straight percentage (for ex. 50% is easily a failed grade but a 2.0 is nowhere near failing). Thx. There is no standard translation. I can easily set a test where the median score is 50% or the median score is 90%, depending upon both how difficult the questions are and how harshly I mark the test. An 'A' means what I want it to mean, no more, no less.

21st February 2006, 09:37 AM	#3
Zbu Critical Thinker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 466	In my experience the grade points were divvied up a bit differently. 3.0 was the bottom line for a B (3.5 possibly being a lower A) and after 2.0 you were getting into the weird D-F range which differed in how they wanted. Some said E was the worst, others were F, etc. I don't think it's a standard by any means.